Fermentation 2021, 7, 170. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation7030170 www.mdpi.com/journal/fermentation Article Development of an Araucaria araucana Beer-like Beverage: Process and Product Angélica Durán 1 , José Reyes-De-Corcuera 2 , Gustavo Garay 1 , Pedro Valencia 1 and Alejandra Urtubia 1, * 1 Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, Chile; angelica.duran@usm.cl (A.D.); g.garay.palma@gmail.com (G.G.); pedro.valencia@usm.cl (P.V.) 2 Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; jireyes@uga.edu * Correspondence: alejandra.urtubia@usm.cl Abstract: The seed from the Araucaria araucana (in Spanish, piñon) tree, native to Chile and Argen- tina, is sold mainly as raw seed. Engineering a process to add value to piñon has the potential to positively impact local indigenous communities with very little ecological impact because it is rou- tinely harvested in the wild. This study evaluated the feasibility of using 100% piñon, or as a blend with barley malt, to produce a beer-like beverage, while also evaluating consumer acceptance of the beverage’s piñon characteristics. Prototypes generated based on 93% piñon and 7% oat (enzymatic treatment of α-amylase, glucoamylase, protease and β-glucanase), as well as 50% piñon and 50% barley (no external enzymatic treatment), were evaluated. Overall acceptability by a consumer ac- ceptance panel (21 consumers) rated the 100% piñon and the piñon–barley malt blend 5/9 and 7/9, respectively. The piñon–barley malt blend prototype stood out for its low level of carbohydrates, high potassium content and banana and clove aromas. Keywords: piñon; fermentation; α-amylase; glucoamylase; beer-like beverage; valorization 1. Introduction Between 2015 and 2018, the global consumption of beer increased by 2.7% [1]. In Chile, the per capita consumption of beer increased from 25 L to 50 L between 2001 and 2018, and 7.2 million hectoliters were produced in 2016 [2]. That year, the craft beer in- dustry accounted for 1% of the beer market, with an annual growth of 15–20% and around 331 microbreweries in Chile [3]. This growth suggests that there is market for new craft beer and new beer-like products. In addition, very few gluten-free beers are available for individuals with celiac disease, who represent 0.5–1.0% of the population [4]. There is also a growing number of consumers who, despite the fact that they do not suffer from celiac disease, prefer a gluten-free diet [5]. Therefore, there is an opportunity for the develop- ment of new alternatives to conventional beers. From a microeconomic perspective, the development and sustainable industrialization of products with protected denomination of origin are particularly important to small agricultural communities with unique crops and processes. The pine nut of Araucaria araucana K. Koch (in Spanish, piñon), also known as the monkey-puzzle tree, is a native and ancestral seed that only grows in Chile and Argentina. It is a species of high conservation value. It was declared a national monument by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species World Flora and Fauna). The international trade of its wood and subproducts is forbidden [6]. However, the international trade of products derived from piñon is not subject to prohibition. A. Araucana occupies an area of 239,378 ha in Chile and 180,000 ha in Argentina [7]. In its best conditions, this ancient tree generates its first seeds at 15 to 25 years old [8]. The pro- duction yield of piñon is 197 kg/ha and 455 kg/ha in Chile and Argentina, respectively Citation: Durán, A.; Reyes-De-Corcuera, J.; Garay, G.; Valencia, P.; Urtubia, A. Development of an Araucaria araucana Beer-like Beverage: Process and Product. Fermentation 2021, 7, 170. https://doi.org/10.3390/ fermentation7030170 Academic Editors: Ogueri Nwaiwu and Mohamed Gedi Received: 26 July 2021 Accepted: 25 August 2021 Published: 28 August 2021 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neu- tral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institu- tional affiliations. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Li- censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and con- ditions of the Creative Commons At- tribution (CC BY) license (http://crea- tivecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).